Leadership

Today’s business leaders could learn a few plays from the coaches and players who fulfill leadership roles on the basketball court every day. The role of a leader on a sports team is often vital to the overall success of the team. With a strong leader in charge, a team is be able to identify a common goal and work together toward it. Good leaders provide a sense of direction, whether it is leading a project or rallying a team in the final moments of the NCAA Championship game. Strong leaders can be relied on to make the right decisions in the clutch moments of a game or project cycle. A good leader takes responsibility for their actions, motivates the team, promotes a strong work ethic and is flexible when faced with unexpected challenges. In addition, the values of a leader on the court align with that of a good leader…

The Invisible Barrier to Learning: Question Your Assumptions What if we—you, me, and the next guy—really understood how little we know. Oh, we might have some subject matter expertise. But that only counts for a small sliver of life. Yet I consistently find that people, either because of a predisposition to self-protection (preservation) or self-promotion (preference) are slow to learn that it’s okay not to know everything. In meeting after meeting I’ve noticed a favored declaration by the participants is “I already know that.” This message is often communicated explicitly by uttering the words, but more often the “I already know that” takes shape in nodding of the head back and forth designed to communicate this “fact”. Why is it so worrisome to hear those words? Well, it suggests that the individual believes that their state of knowledge on that topic or subject is settled and complete. Therefore, they might not be open to…

Coach yourself, before you coach others I believe every coach does his work with the best of intentions. And for fear of sounding redundant, one should undoubtedly evaluate its practical application. As a coach you are there to help players develop their own playing style by providing them with strategies and drills. However, it is useless to try and coach others if you are not able to apply your coaching to yourself. What will you do when you are facing a 3-0 deficit? How much time will you let pass before you accept the situation and adjust accordingly? Will you take out your frustration on your team? Or will you blame the referees or bad calls by the line-officials? This article will try to deal with some points that I identify as vital to coaching yourself and by extension your team. Self-Knowledge The first point to being a successful coach…